The Celebrity Method

Usage

Use this method to remember things when you are fascinated by celebrities or
when you find it easier to bring them to mind.

Description

Make a list of celebrities who you can easily bring to mind. This can include
current movie stars, rock stars, politicians or whoever gets you excited. It can
also include historical figures, fantasy characters and cartoons. Just use who
works for you.

When you want to remember something, bring the celebrity into the picture,
with them involved in whatever you want to recall later. Build a sense of
excitement

Celebrities can also be use to remember numbers. For example you could have a
list as follows:

0 = Zero Mostel

1 = John Wayne

2 = Donald Duck

3 = Diter Von Teese

etc.

Then when you want to remember a number, make up a story
that involves the celebrities doing thing in sequence. Other memory methods can
also be used, bringing in celebrities where you want to make something more
memorable.

Example

I want to remember to buy a cake in town. I create an image of
Brad Pitt standing outside the cake shop, waiting for me. I can't wait to meet
him! The excitement keeps my attention for long enough to ensure I get to the
cake shop.

I meet a person called John. I imagine him wearing John Wayne's
cowboy hat, with Wayne himself pleading for the hat back.

Discussion

Celebrities often invoke emotions, including negative ones, which is why you
tend to remember them (even when you do not want to). Emotions are generally
positively correlated with memories -- you remember emotional memories better
than those where you were emotionally flat.

You can extend this method, for example using different types of celebrities
for remembering different types of things. For example you could use football
stars for remembering numbers, movie stars for remembering names, and so on.

You can alternatively (or additionally) use any people who evoke emotions and
you will remember easily, such as family and friends (current and past).